Page 11 of Axel

“Thanks, Drake,” I said nervously.

With his arm still draped around my shoulders, I allowed Drake to lead me back to the bike I had been working on. As I got back to work, I listened for over an hour as my brother gave me advice on how to do things right by a woman. Hearing his words of advice made me realize what a douchebag I had been over the years and how I couldn’t be that guy anymore if I ever wanted a chance with Ivy.

“We can focus more on this conversation later, but tonight, we have a funeral procession to lead,” Drake said as he stood.

“Oh shit, I forgot,” I growled. It was true, my mind had been so occupied by Ivy, that I had forgotten about one of our obligations which was to help out our local fallen soldiers.

Following Drake’s lead, I finished my job at the shop and then got ready to ride for a real sacrifice.

Chapter 8

Ivy

A familiar face filled my phone screen as I heard the annoying ringing sound. Looking down, I sighed as my mom’s face lit up my screen.

Hitting ignore, I refused to answer the call. As much as I hated to do it, I just had to distance myself from my family. They knew my plan when I left home. They knew I needed time. One day, hopefully, I would find a way to talk to my mom without constantly feeling guilty, but today is not that day.

“Was that your mom?” Lacy asked, already knowing the answer by my sorrowfulface.

“Yeah. I will talk to her eventually,” I said, throwing my phone down on the couch next to me.

After sitting in awkward silence for a few minutes, Lacy finally leaned over and gained my attention.

“Don’t be mad, ok?” Lacy said as we sat on the couch watching a movie on Netflix.

Whenever Lacy began a sentence like that, I knew I was about to get upset with her. Pausing the movie, I turned to face her. “Oh, what now?” I asked.

Sighing, Lacy tried to give me her best pathetic smile, but I wasn’t buying it today. “Well…”

She lingered on and I couldn’t stand the anticipation of what she had to tell me. “Just spit it out, Lacy,” I yelled.

“Fine. I might have told Drake something about you,” she began.

My stomach dropped and I could feel my face grow pale. Oh no, what could she have told Drake? I had told Lacy personal information about my past, surely she wouldn’t have betrayed my trust.

“What did you say?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“I told him that you might like Axel and that you didn’t understand why he wasn’t calling you,” she said, moving herself a little bit farther away from me on the couch.

“You did what?” I screamed.

“I’m sorry. I gave Axel your number and I thought he would have called. I can tell he likes you, Drake thinks so too. I guess…well, I thought if he thought you liked him,maybe that would put a spark under his ass and get him to ask you out,” she said, her eyes pleading for me to understand.

I shook my head, anger filling my entire body. I couldn’t believe she had done that. She knew I wasn’t interested in dating anyone. She knew my plans.

“Lacy, you went too far,” I began. “This can’t happen.”

“Don’t be mad at me. I swear, I really thought you and Axel might have a shot together,” Lacy said.

As much as I wanted to be angry with her, I just couldn’t. I knew her madness came from a good place.

“Look, I get what you were trying to do. But, I can handle myself. Please just drop it now.”

Nodding her head, Lacy seemed to understand. “I promise to drop it.”

We went back to watching our movie in awkward silence. Even though I forgave her, I was still hurt by what she had done and the idea Axel had never called.

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